Beautiful
by ameliagianna
Summary: "God," he breathes, "he is so beautiful." Parents!Caskett


Kate nuzzles her nose into the soft fabric over her son's tummy. She blows against him, and his giggle rings through her, making her soul melt.

Both her and Rick had been completely infatuated with their son. In fact, everyone had. Esposito and Lanie, Ryan and Jenny, Martha and Alexis, her father, even Gates.

But Kate's maternity leave was almost up. She had two weeks left, and she didn't know if she could do it, leave her baby to go to work every day. She loved her job, but she found she loved her son even more, and that was new.

He scrunches up his face, and starts to whimper. He roots into her hand, and she gently lifts him from the bed.

"Hungry baby," she coos. "Hungry, hungry baby." She sings it to him, and it seems to relax him while she crosses her legs, settles his body into her arms and lifts her tank top.

That's another thing she doesn't want to do: get dressed every morning. She was quite enjoying not wearing a bra for the majority of the last two and a half months. And when she did, it was a nursing bra—flimsy and not entirely uncomfortable.

Actually, she hadn't really worn any of her own clothes since early in her pregnancy. Maternity clothes had transitioned directly into loose loungewear.

Her son latches on, suckling happily. She lets the soft, quiet moment drift over her, and she stares down at her beautiful baby boy.

"There's my boy," she whispers to him. He smiles at her voice and stares up at her, pawing at the swell of her breast.

His eyes, so much like his father's it still catches her breath every time, bore into her. His focus had always been strong, and he often set it on his parents or big sister.

Alexis and the baby were thick as thieves, already. She often came over just to hold him for a few minutes and then was rushing out the door, back to her life. She continually reminded them she was open for babysitting, but they had yet to take her up on the offer.

Kate had absolute faith in Alexis with her brother, but wasn't quite ready to leave him, yet.

She was addicted to her son, and wasn't ready to give him up.

His eyelids start to fall, and his breathing slows. Kate watches him enter sleep, keeping him against her.

No, she certainly wasn't ready to give him, this, up. She didn't think she ever would be.

Rick walks in quietly, but she still hears him. She looks up, meets his eyes where he stands just inside the doorway.

"He asleep?" he murmurs.

"Just," she whispers.

He walks over, sits on the edge of the mattress, it dipping with his weight. He runs a gentle finger over his son's warm, round cheek.

"God," he breathes, "he is so beautiful."

Kate chuckles quietly. "You say that every day, you know."

"I know," he grins. "Because it's true. I'll probably say it every day for the rest of my life."

"You may change your mind when he's a teenager."

"Doubtful," Rick says, looking up at her. "He takes after his sister."

"How does that work, anyway?" Kate asks. "You and Meredith have Alexis, and you and me have him. How do they end up so…_good_?"

"I have no clue," he says, "but it's a blessing I'm willing to live with."

"Me, too," she murmurs, glancing down at her son again.

Rick straightens. "So, what do you want for dinner?"

She tilts her head, and her loosely braided hair falls over her shoulder. "I don't know," she says. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking maybe we could go out," he says, standing, back to her.

Her brown wrinkles. "Where?"

"You know," he mutters, turning slightly, "_out_ out."

"Without the baby?"

"I called Alexis, and she's free to babysit. But if you're not ready, that's okay," he adds quickly.

She looks down at her son again, in his peaceful slumber, and sighs.

"No, we should go," she tells Rick. "I have to learn to function without him again."

Rick's eyes soften on her. "No, you don't."

"But I do," she says, smiling down at their son. "I have to go back to work, soon. I can't be with him every single second anymore."

Rick doesn't speak. He breathes, walks back to the bed and sits down just behind her, carefully wrapping his arms around his wife and child.

Kate leans into him, turning her head to give him access to her neck. He peppers it with soft kisses, and she rests her head atop his.

"I have to face the fact that I can't do everything for him forever. And that's okay," she whispers. "We just have to help get him to where he needs to be, and that'll be okay."

Rick is humming against her skin, his warmth—very similar to the warmth of the smaller body in her arms—seeping into her. She is surrounded by it, by him, by their son, their family.

"I love you," he whispers. "So much."

"I love you, too," she murmurs, shifting to kiss the spot just below his ear. "And I love our family."

"Thank you," he whispers, "for giving me our family."

"Same to you," she chuckles. "I didn't do all the work myself."

"But you did the heavy lifting," he declares.

"Is that a fat joke?" she murmurs, giggling softly.

"No," he says seriously. "You are radiant."

Kate smiles into him. "He helps. You help."

"And we'll keep helping," he whispers, also smiling. "Always."

"What time are our reservations?" she asks.

"What makes you think I got us reservations?" he teases.

"Because, Mr. Castle, I know you."

"Yes, Mrs. Castle, you do," he laughs. "Eight."

"I'll be there," she promises. "I'm going to go shower. Will you hold him?"

"Of course," Rick says, standing and opening his arms for his son.

Kate also stands, and gently shifts their son from her arms to his. "Well then, Daddy," she murmurs, "I'll be back in a bit."

"Don't worry about us," he says as she walks towards their bathroom. "We'll be waiting."

She smiles and then disappears behind the heavy, dark wooden door.

Rick lets his son slide deeper into his arms and they walk out of the bedroom. "I may be ruggedly handsome," he whispers to his baby, "but you are more beautiful than I ever could have hoped for."

He looks back towards the bedroom. "Just like her," he murmurs.

* * *

**A/N: Caskett baby fluff time! I'm sure you noticed I never named the baby, and yes, that is on purpose. I don't always feel comfortable naming my ships' babies, because I feel it's too OOC almost every time. There are some writers who just pick the best names, but I am not one of them. Sorry if that was something you didn't like. Review please!**


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